About Loyola's Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship
The Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship program at Loyola Medicine is designed to specifically address the needs of a maternal-fetal medicine fellow in order to prepare them to deliver care as a member of a multidisciplinary team.
Furthermore, our program is designed to provide a strong fundamental understanding of the broad field of maternal-fetal medicine with the opportunity for fellows to pursue areas of specific interest including clinical, research, or educational areas of focus.
The educational objectives of Loyola Medicine's Maternal-Fetal Medicine (MFM) Fellowship are consistent with those listed in the ABOG “Guide to Learning in Maternal-Fetal Medicine”.
Program Quick Facts
Overview of Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program Education
Clinical care is taught in the in- and out-patient setting at Loyola University Medical Center. Throughout the year, fellows rotate in the clinic and hospital with each of the maternal-fetal medicine faculty and participate at all levels of patient interaction.
As we expect an maternal-fetal medicine fellow to develop the full spectrum of clinical skills to serve as subspecialists, clinical training includes a balance of inpatient (antepartum and intrapartum), labor and delivery rotation and outpatient (consultative and continuity of care, ultrasound and fetal assessment) experiences.
An maternal-fetal medicine fellow will be supervised to care for all high-risk obstetric patients. In many circumstances the fellow's training is distinct from other trainees (ultrasound, genetics, outpatient high-risk clinic) while in other situations the fellow is expected to serve as a member and co-leader of the team (inpatient, antepartum, intrapartum, high risk service care of critically ill patients).
Educational Experience
Weekly formal maternal-fetal medicine teaching conferences related to maternal-fetal medicine are held on a regular basis that cover both basic science and the clinical aspects of our subspecialty.
The topics covered are obtained from the Guide to Learning Maternal-Fetal Medicine. It is the expectation that all fellows will attend these faculty run weekly conferences and be prepared to participate.
Following is the schedule of MFM conferences:
- Monthly journal club
- Fellow didactics
- SMFM fellow lecture series (twice a month)
- Monthly multidisciplinary conference (MFM, NICU, OB anesthesia, subspecialty services)
- Monthly ultrasound lectures
- Quarterly perinatal M&M (joint MFM and NICU)
- Monthly OB M&M
Department of Ob/Gyn Conferences
The department of Ob/Gyn holds weekly departmental conferences. Maternal-fetal medicine fellow attendance is required at these weekly meetings. The exact schedule is distributed monthly.
Types of conferences include patient care conference, which is an interactive discussion of patient management of specific cases from the preceding week, invited grand rounds lectures, chairman's hour, departmental journal club, morbidity and mortality conference and perinatal educational conference.
Maternal-Fetal Medicine Fellowship Program Research
The maternal-fetal medicine division, as well as the department of Ob/Gyn, place a high value on research and scholarship and encourage fellows development in this area.
To prepare for academic careers as independent clinical scientists in women’s health care and maternal-fetal medicine, we require fellows to acquire the following clinical research skills:
- Ability to critically analyze and review the literature.
- Ability to develop testable hypotheses.
- Ability to design clinical trials to test scientific hypotheses and treatment outcomes.
- Ability to write competitive research proposals and grants.
- Ability to disseminate scientific results in both written and oral forms.
- Understanding of interdisciplinary approaches to research in maternal-fetal medicine.
Overview of Research and Thesis Requirements/Objectives Prior to Graduation:
- Complete at least one thesis with submission to an appropriate national or international meeting (must be approved by the program director)
- Completion of a manuscript with submission for publication to a peer-reviewed journal
- Prepare and defend a written thesis.
- Present research at the departmental research day prior to graduation.
There is an option to obtain a Master’s degree in Clinical Research or Public Health, through Loyola University Chicago.
